About the Haughton-Mars Project

The Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) is an international interdisciplinary field research project centered on the scientific study of the Haughton impact structure and surrounding terrain, Devon Island, High Arctic, viewed as a terrestrial analog for the Mars.

The rocky polar desert setting, geologic features and biological attributes of the site offer unique insights into the possible evolution of Mars - in particular the history of water and of past climates on Mars - the effects of impacts on Earth and on other planets, and the possibilities and limits of life in extreme environments.

In parallel with its Science program, the HMP supports an Exploration program aimed at developing new technologies, strategies, humans factors experience, and field-based operational know-how key to planning the future exploration of the Moon, Mars and other planets by robots and humans.

The HMP is managed and operated by the Mars Institute with support from the SETI Institute. HMP-2007 is our 11th field season.

Mars Institute: Haughton-Mars Project
 

• Mars Yard - Mars Pathfinder Images

I spent the summer of 2001 working with Larry Matthies at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory evaluating and improving Visual Odometry. This technique uses stereo cameras to track features across frames to find the motion of the rover. This is important for environments such as Mars, where there is no GPS, and wheel odometry may be incorrect due to wheel slip. The Visual Odometry system is currently running on the Mars rovers.

It was a great experience, and as shown [above], I got to hang out with (test) rovers on (simulated) Mars.

Jared Schnelle is shown here in the "Mars Yard," a field of rocks designed to simulate the rough terrain of Mars for testing of spacesuits and other planetary equipment

About the MARS-1 Humvee

The distinctive orange MARS-1 Humvee rover is a unique experimental field exploration vehicle modified for the HMP by AM General, manufacturer of the famous High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) or Humvee. The refurbished four-wheel-drive all-terrain rover rolled out of AM General's plant in Mishiwaka, Indiana, on May 14, 2002, bearing the one-of-a-kind serial number "MARS-1". The vehicle configuration is that of a military ambulance HMMWV. To increase traction and tread lightly, the MARS-1 is equipped with wide tracks manufactured by Mattracks, Inc.

The MARS-1 is equipped with a tall rear cab affording compact work and living space (including two sidewall-mounted sleeping bunks) for crews of up to four researchers engaging in several day-long field traverses across the rugged Mars-like rocky polar desert terrain of Devon Island. The vehicle was specified to allow two parallel goals to be met: 1) support Arctic science research in Astrobiology and Mars analog studies by serving as a safe, reliable, all-terrain-capable, high-tech roving field laboratory vehicle; and 2) serve as an economic test bed for preliminary design and operations studies that will help define some of the key requirements for future pressurized rovers for human Moon and Mars exploration.

SOURCE: Mars Institute MARS1 Humvee

• Haughton-Mars Project Official Site
• Haughton-Mars Project - Wikipedia
• MARS-1 Humvee Rover  - Mars Institute
• Mars on Earth: The NASA Haughton-Mars Project, Part 1 - SpaceRef
• Mars on Earth: The NASA Haughton-Mars Project, Part 2 - SpaceRef